Synchronizing system



Nov. 2, 1937. E. B. JACKSON SYNCHRONIZING SYSTEM Filed Oct. 11, 1934Patented Nov. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE srnonaomzmc. SYSTEMEdward B. Jackson,

to Stromberg Electric Company,

Downers Grove, Ill., assignor Chicago, 111.,

14 Claims.

The present invention relates in general to synchronizing systems andmore particularly to synchronizing arrangements for use intime-controlled systems in which secondary apparatus, such as clocks,recorders and time stamps, is operated by means of impulses transmittedfrom a primary or master apparatus.

The main object of the invention is to provicle a new and simpleperiodic synchronizing arrangement for such systems.

Nearly all of the known synchronizing systems require a three-wirecircuit or a two-wire circuit together with two different kinds ofcurrent, such as reverse polarities, current of two difierent voltages,alternating and direct current, or alternating current of twofrequencies. The present invention overcomes this objectionable featurein that it requires only a single source of current and operatesentirely over a single two-wire circuit.

Other known synchronizing systems employ a mechanical stop to preventfurther advance of a secondary apparatus when it reaches a predeterminedchronological position until released by the master apparatus. aryapparatus by the it reaches a corresponding chronological position isusually accomplished by a current of different characteristic as notedabove or by a sustained impulse. However, the racking of the pawl on theratchet responsive to impulses received while the ratchet ismechanically blocked is very noisy and causes rapid wearing out of thevarious parts of the secondary apparatus. It is, therefore, a furtherobject of the present invention to overcome this objectionable featureby rendering the impulse magnet inoperative when the secondary apparatusreaches the predetermined position to prevent its further advance byreceived impulses, and to again render the magnet operative toreinitiate advance of the secondary apparatus in response to a prolongedimpulse transmitted by the master apparatus when s it reaches acorresponding position.

The above objects of the invention, and others not specificallymentioned, will best be understood from a perusal of the followingspecification when read in connection with the accompanying drawingcomprising Figs. 1 and 2, in which Figure 1 is a schematic circuitembodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a schematic circuit diagram of another embodiment of theinvention.

Referring to the drawing,

The release of the secondmaster apparatus when diagram of one and firstto Fig. 1,-

the master apparatus M shown comprises a minute contact device! forsending out momentary impulses once every minute, a rapid contact device2 operative for a thirty-second period during each hour for sending outa series of short, rapid impulses once every two seconds for correctivepurposes, a cam-controlled contact device 3 for periodically (once everyhour) cutting in and out the rapid contact device 2, allowing it tooperate for a period of thirty seconds (for example, from 59 minutes and10 seconds l to 59 minutes and 40 seconds), a cam-controlled contactdevice 4 for periodically (once every hour) sending out a prolongedimpulse (for example, about ten seconds in length from 59 minutes and 50seconds to 60 minutes) immediately after the cutting out of the rapidcontact device, and a relay 5 controlling all of the impulses sent outby the master apparatus.

, The relay 5 comprises the relay coils 5a, the armature 5b therefor,and a pair of contacts 50 closed when the relay is energized to connectthe current supply 5d with the line conductor running to the secondaryapparatus.

Eachsecondary apparatus S and Si of Fig. 1 includes a driving magnet 6controlled by the impulses from the master apparatus; a ratchet and pawlmechanism 1 driven by the driving magnet for actuating the secondaryapparatus; a shunt circuit controlling device 8 closed by secondaryapparatus time for periodically disabling the driving magnet; a delayedresponse device 9 non-responsive to ordinary short impulses butresponsive to the long period impulses for opening the magnet disablingcircuit to restore the magnets to operative position, and a resistanceH1 in the magnet circuit for rendering the shunt circuit effective fordisabling the magnet. The delayed response device 9 comprises a heatingcoil lea and heat-controlled-contacts [0b controlled by the heating coilIlla.

The circuits of the master apparatus of Fig. 1 include a circuit for therelay magnet and minute contact device, a circuit for the rapid contactdevice, and a circuit for the prolonged impulse contact device.

The circuit for the relay magnet 5 and minute contact device I is fromthe current supply 5d through the conductor ll, relay magnet coils 5a,conductors l2 and I3, minute contact device I and conductors l4, l5 andIE to the other side of the current supply 5d. The circuit for the rapidcontact device 2 is from the conductor l2 through the rapidcontact'device 2, conductor l1 and camcontrolled contact device 3 to theconductor I5. 55

The circuit for the prolonged impulse contact device 4 is from theconductor l2, through the conductor l8 and prolonged impulse contact de-Vice 4? to the conductor IS.

The circuits of the secondary apparatus of Fig. 1 comprise a normalcircuit for the driving magnet and resistance and a circuit for theheating coil and delayed action contacts.

The normal circuit for the driving magnet 6 and resistance I is from theline I9, through the resistance It), conductor 20, magnet coil 6 andconductors 2| and 22 to the other side of the line 23. The circuit forthe heating coil Illa and heat-controlled contacts Illb is from theconductor 20 through the conductor 24, delayed action contacts 'Iflb,heating coil Illa and cam-controlled shunt circuit-controlling device 8to the conductor 22.

Having described the apparatus and circuits of Fig. 1, a detaileddescription of the operation will now be given.

The contacts I of the master clock M are momentarily closed once eachminute and complete the circuit from the battery or other source ofcurrent d to relay 5. Relay 5 operates and completes the circuits forthe impulse magnets 6 of the secondary apparatuses S and SI in multipleby means of contacts 50. The magnets 6 operate and, upon releasing,advance the secondary apparatuses one step by means of the usual ratchetand pawl construction 1. When a secondary apparatus such as SI reachesposition 59, the cam 8a closes contacts 8b as shown, thereby connectingthe coil l 0a of the thermostatic device 9 in parallel with the impulsemagnet 6; The resistance of coil lUa is suificiently low so that impulsemagnet 6 will not operate in multiple therewith. When the next impulseis received, magnet 6 will not operate due to this low resistance shunt.The impulse is not of suihcient duration to heat the bi-metallic striplilo of the thermostatic device sufliciently to cause it to deflect andopen contacts lb. The fast secondary apparatus SI, therefore, remains inposition 59 until released by the master clock as will beexplained'later. Assuming that S is on time or slow, it will respond tothe minute impulses in the regular manner.

Shortly after the master clock reaches position 59, at 59 minutes andseconds as assumed for the purposes of explanation, contacts 36 areclosed, connecting the fast contacts 2a in circuit with the impulsingrelay 5. A secondary apparatus which is on time will respond to thefifty-ninth regular minute impulse and will then be stopped by theclosing of the low resistance shunt around its impulse magnet asexplained above. It will be assumed that the secondary apparatus S isslow and has not reached its fifty-ninth position when the master clockcloses contacts 3a. rality'of times during the time contacts 3a areclosed and cause relay 5 to transmit a series of rapid acceleratingimpulses over the circuit to the secondary apparatus. A secondaryapparatus which is on time or fast has already been stopped as explainedabove and Will not be affected by the rapid impulses. However, theseimpulses cause the rapid advance of S, which was assumed to be slow,until it reaches its fiftyninth position. In this position, cam 80.closes contacts 8b and the impulse magnet cannot again be operated dueto the low resistance shunt through coil Illa of the thermostaticdevice.

vmagnet 25. Contacts 211 close rapidly a plu-' The remainder of therapid impulses are therefore ineffective.

A short time, ten seconds in the assumed case, before the master clockreaches position 66, contacts 4a are closed, shunting minute contacts laand operating relay 5. These contacts remain closed until the masterclock reaches position 60 and the continued energization of relay 5transmits a sustained current over the circuit to the secondaryapparatus. This sustained current passing through heat coils I 6a causesthe bimetallic strips lfic to deflect and open contacts "lb,respectively. This opens the shunt circuits around magnets 6 and thesemagnets operate.

7 The opening of contacts lDb also opens the circuits to the heat coilslOa, allowing the strips I00 to cool and return to their normalpositions with contacts Mb closed. Should this occur before thesustained current or prolonged impulse is removed from the circuit, itwill not interfere with the proper operation as the magnets 6, althoughthey will not operate in multiple with the low resistance heat coilsIlla, will be maintained in operated position, having once operated,even though the low resistance shunt circuits are closed.

Thus it is seen that just before the master clock reaches position 68the impulse magnets in all of the secondary apparatuses are energized.The circuit for relay 5 is broken in position 60 of the master clock bythe opening of contacts 4a and la (minute contacts la having beenmomentarily closed in position 66 in the regular manner) and the relay 5releases, opening contacts 5c and thereby opening the circuits ofmagnets 6. These magnets release, causing the spring-operated pawls toadvance the secondary apparatuses S and S! into position 66 and intosynchronism with the master clock. Cams So again open contacts 8b as thesecondary apparatuses advance into position 60.

The master apparatus M of Fig. 2 is identical with that of Fig. 1previously described. 'Each secondary apparatus S2 and S3 of Fig. 2-includes a driving magnet controlled by the impulses from the masterapparatus, a ratchet and pawl mechanism 26 driven by said driving magnet25 for actuating the secondary apparatus, a slow-to-respondelectromagnet Zl, circuit-controlling contacts 42 controlled by saidsloWtorespond electromagnet 21 for establishing a temporary auxiliarycircuit for the driving magnet 25, a circuit-controlling device 28controlled by secondary apparatus time for periodically opening thenormal circuit for the driving magnet 25 and closing a circuit for theslow-to-respond electromagnet 21, and thereafter opening the circuit forthe slow-to-respond electromagnet 2! and closing the circuit for thedriving The electromagnet 27 may be made slow to operate in any usual orsuitable manner, as by the use of a copper slug on the armature end ofthe core, as is well known in the art.

The circuit ccntrolling device 28 comprises an hour cam 29 arranged toopen contact 36 and close contact Si in position 59 of the secondaryapparatus and'to open con act 3| and close contact in position 60.

The circuits of the secondary apparatus of Fig. 2 comprise the normalcircuit for the driving magnet, an auxiliary circuit for the drivingmagnet, and a circuit for the slow-to-respond electromagnet. 1

The normal circuit for the driving magnet 25 is from one side of theline 32 through the conductor 33, driving magnet 25, conductor 34,camcontrolled contacts 30 and 35 and conductors 36 and 31 to the otherside of the line 38. The auxiliary circuit for the driving magnet 25isfrom the conductor 33, through the magnet 25, conductor 39,magnet-controlled contacts 42 and conductor 31 to the other side of theline 38.

The circuit for the slow-to-respond electromagnet 21 is from theconductor 33, through the conductor 49, magnet 21, conductor 4|,cam-controlled contacts 3| and 35 and conductors 3B and 31 to the sideof the line 38.

A detailed description of the operation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2will now be given.

Secondary apparatus S2 is shown as being slow or on time while S3 isshown as fast. The impulse magnets 25 respond to the regular minuteimpulses and advance the secondary apparatuses step by step. When S3reached position 59, cam 29 opened contact 30 and closed contact 3|,thereby opening the circuit of impulse magnet 25 and completing acircuit for the slow-to-operate relay 21. Relay 21 does not respond tothe momentary operating impulses.

Shortly after the master clock reaches position 59, rapid acceleratingimpulses are transmitted over the line to rapidly advance slow secondaryapparatus, such as S2. When S2 reaches position 59, contact 30 is openedand contact 3| is closed by cam 29, thereby stopping the advance of theapparatus in the same manner as outlined above for S3. The remainder ofthe rapid impulses are therefore ineffective.

When the prolonged impulse is received shortly before the master clockreaches position 69, relays 21 operate, completing auxiliary circuitsfor magnets 25 over contacts 42. The magnets 25 operate and are heldoperated in multiple with the relays until the circuit over the line isbroken at contacts 50 by the release of relay 5 when the master clockreaches position 60. Relays 21 and magnets 25 thereupon release, theformer again opening the auxiliary circuits to the magnets, and thelatter allowing the secondary apparatuses to advance into position 60and into synchronism with the master clock. Contacts 3| are opened andcontacts 39 are again closed when the secondary apparatuses advance frompositions 59 to 60, thereby completing the normal impulsing circuits tothe magnets.

Having described the invention, what is new and is desired to haveprotected by Letters Patent will be pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a time controlled system, master apparatus, secondary apparatus,means in said master apparatus for transmitting normal impulses for thenormal operation of said secondary appara tus and for transmitting rapidaccelerating impulses to rapidly advance slow secondary apparatus,"sa idnormal and accelerating impulses being of predetermined length, circuitcontrolling devices efiective when said secondary apparatus reaches apredetermined chronological position for preventing continued operationthereof, means in said master apparatus for periodically transmitting animpulse of longer duration, and means in said secondary apparatusresponsive only to said impulse of longer duration for rendering saidcircuit controlling devices inefiective.

2. In a time controlled system, master apparatus, secondary apparatus,means in said master apparatus for transmitting normal impulses andrapid accelerating impulses of predetermined duration, and an impulse ofgreater duration in definite sequence, and means in said secondaryapparatus for synchronizing said secondary apparatus with said masterapparatus responsive to said impulses, said means including circuitcontrolling devices operative only in one predetermined position of saidsecondary apparatus to render it unresponsive to succeeding impulses anda delayed response device responsive only to said impulse of greaterduration for rendering said circuit controlling devices ineffective.

3. In a time controlled system in which secondary apparatus iscontrolled and synchronized in accordance with impulses transmittedentirely from a master apparatus, means in said secondary apparatuscontrolled by said impulses for synchronizing said secondary apparatuswith said master apparatus at periodic intervals, said means includingcircuit controlling devices controlled by the chronological condition ofsaid secondary apparatus and a delayed response device and a circuitcontrolling device controlled thereby.

4. In a secondary apparatus for use in a corrective time controlledsystem, an impulse magnet for effecting all advancing movements of saidapparatus, an operating circuit for said magnet, means operated only inone particular predetermined chronological position of said apparatusfor closing a shunt circuit around said magnet, anda delayed action heatresponsive device for opening said shunt circuit.

,5. In a secondary apparatus for use in a corrective time controlledsystem, an impulse magnet for advancing said apparatus, an operatingcircuit therefor, means operative only in one particular positionof saidapparatus for completing a shunt circuit for said magnet, and meansresponsive only to the receipt of, an impulse of abnormal duration foropening said shunt circuit.

6. In a secondary apparatus for use in a corrective time controlledsystem, an impulse magnet for advancing said apparatus, an operatingcircuit therefor, a shunt circuit for said magnet including two sets ofcontacts, means dependent upon the chronological condition of saidapparatus for controlling one of said sets of contacts and meanscontrolled by a received impulse independently of said magnet forcontrolling the other of said sets of contacts.

'7. In a secondary apparatus for use in a time controlled system inwhich the control of said secondary apparatus is effected over a pair 01wires extending from a master apparatus, an impulse magnet permanentlyconnected between said two wires, and a shunt circuit for said ma netincluding a pair of contacts controlled by the chronological position ofsaid secondary apparatus, a slow acting device, and a pair of contactscontrolled by said slow acting device.

8. In a secondary apparatus for use in a time controlled system, acontrol circuit, an impulse magnet in said circuit for advancing saidapparatus responsive to received impulses of predetermined duration, ashunt circuit for said magnet for preventing the operation of saidmagnet re-*' sponsive to said impulses, said shunt circuit havingsufficient resistance so that said magnet will be maintained in operatedposition after it has once been operated, means for closing said shuntcircuit when said apparatus reaches a predetermined chronologicalposition, and slow-acting means responsive only to an impulse of greaterduration for momentarily interrupting said shunt circuit to permit saidmagnet to be operated by said last-named impulse.

9. In a secondary apparatus for use ina time controlled system, animpulse magnet for advancing said apparatus, an operating circuittherefor, contacts controlled by the chronological condition of saidsecondary apparatus for opening said operating circuit, an auxiliarycircuit for said magnet, and a slow acting relay for completing saidauxiliary circuit.

10. In a secondary apparatus for use ina time controlled system, animpulse magnet for advancing said apparatus, an operating circuittherefor, a slow acting relay and a circuit therefor, cam controlledcontacts operated in a pre determined chronological position of saidsecondary apparatus for opening the circuit of said magnet and forclosing the circuit to said slow acting relay, an auxiliary circuit forsaid magnet and contacts on said relay for completing said auxiliarycircuit.

' 11. In a time controlled system in which secondary apparatus isnormally operated by normal impulses and accelerated if slow by rapidimpulses transmitted by a master apparatus over a control circuit, animpulse magnet in the secondary apparatus included. in said controlcircuit and responsive to said impulses, means in said secondaryapparatus for periodically opening the circuit of said magnet, means insaid master apparatus for periodically transmittingan impulse of greaterduration than said normal and rapid impulses, an auxiliary circuit forsaid magnet', and means in said secondary apparatus responsive only tosaid impulse of greater duration for completing said auxiliary circuit.

12. In a time controlled system, master apparatus and secondaryapparatus, means in said master apparatus for transmitting normalimpulses of predetermined duration at two difierent rates for normaladvance and accelerating advance of said secondary apparatus and. forperiodically transmitting an impulse of greater duration, circuitcontrolling devices effective when said secondary apparatus reaches apredetermined chronological position for preventing continued advancethereof by'said normal impulses, and means responsive only to saidimpulse of greater duration for again permitting advance of saidsecondary apparatus by said normal impulses.

' 13. In atime controlled system, masterapparatus'andsecondary'apparatus connected by a control circuit, an operating magnetin said secondary apparatus for effecting advance thereof responsive tonormal impulses of predetermined duration transmitted over said controlcircuit by said master apparatus, means operative when saidsecondaryapparatus reaches a predetermined chronological position for closing ashunt-circuit for said magnet to prevent its c'ontinuedoperation by saidnormal impulses, means in said master apparatus effective when itreaches'a corresponding chronological position for transmitting animpulse of greater duration over said control circuit, and means in saidshunt circuit responsive only to said last-named impulse for openingsaid shunt circuit to again permit operation of said impulse magnet.

14 The combination in a secondary apparatus for use in a corrective timecontrolled system of an incoming control circuit, an impulse magnetconnected to said control circuit for eifecting all advancing movementsof said apparatus, and a shunt circuit for said magnet comprising a pairof contacts controlled by means dependent upon the chronologicalposition of said apparatus, a heat coil and a pair of contacts thermallycontrolled by said heat, coil all connected in series in said shuntcircuit.

EDWARD B. JACKSON;

